The Truth About Homework from the Students' Perspective

By Gladys R. Landing-Corretjer, Ed.D

Have you ever wonder why students complain about homework? In The Truth About Homework From The Students' Perspective you will:

* Learn the truth about what students think about homework
*Motivate students to complete and turn in their homework
*Reflect on your teaching practices regarding homework
*Take action by creating assignments that would increase homework completion and student learning
*Be surprised about students responses

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Oct 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483437903

Book preview

The Truth about Homework from the Students’ Perspective

Gladys R. Landing-Corretjer, Ed.D

Copyright © 2015 Gladys R. Landing-Corretjer.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-3791-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-3790-3 (e)

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Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 9/29/2015

CONTENTS

Chapter 1   Introduction to the Study

Chapter 2   Literature Review

Chapter 3   Research Method

Chapter 4   Results

Chapter 5   Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations

References

Teachers’ Voices

ABSTRACT

Research on students’ voices and perspectives regarding homework is absent from the literature. This qualitative case study explored the perspectives of 5th and 6th grade students in comparison with ten teachers’ perceptions regarding homework completion. The literature review revealed 3 trends in homework: pro homework, against homework, and homework reform. However, most of this research considers the adults’ perspective. The researcher administered 46 questionnaires and conducted 12 in depth interviews using a stratified purposive sample and extreme case sampling. The questionnaires and interviews educed the participants’ perceptions and practices regarding homework. The students represented 4 distinct groups: English language learners, general education, gifted and talented, and special education. The teachers instruct 5th and 6th grade. The researcher analyzed the data using critical pedagogy framework, constant comparison method and a transcript based analysis. The findings of this study revealed that students do not complete their homework because they find it too hard, boring, or they do not understand it. The participants considered worksheets boring and hard and in contrast expressed to like research projects because it affords flexibility and creativity. The results also suggest no substantial difference in the students’ responses from various groups. The teachers’ responses revealed that 90% of the participants assign incomplete classwork as homework, disclosing a lack of training in designing homework. This study contributes to the existing literature and enhances social change initiatives by taking the students’ perception into consideration and echoing their voice in the literature. Teachers and administrators can use the results of this study to develop homework practices that would increase homework completion and student learning.

SECTION 1

Introduction to the Study

Parents, teachers, researchers and students have distinct attitudes about its effectiveness in terms of quantity and design as evidenced by countless studies. Studies have been conducted on the relationship between homework and student achievement (Cooper & Valentine 2001), some of these studies indicate this relationship remains unclear (Cooper, Robinson, & Patall 2006; Trautwein & Koller 2003). Other researchers have examined time spent on homework, its legal implications, and parental involvement (Bennett & Kalish, 2006; Kralovec & Buell, 2000). Homework research has also explored student preferences, perceptions and motivation regarding homework (Hong & Lee, 2000; Warton, 2001; Xu, 2005). However, missing from the research are the students’ voices. There is a need to learn from the students themselves why they do not complete their assigned homework. It is important for parents, teachers, and administrators to know why students adopt certain behaviors and is reasonable to believe that if students are asked why they don’t complete their homework they will provide important information regarding this phenomenon. Noguera (2007), noted, Although no groundbreaking or previously unheard solutions are offered, the reader may be surprised to learn that students do put forward practical, commonsense insights into why certain practices are ineffective, and why others should be considered(p. 206).

Chapter 1 is organized in the following manner; first is the background of the research. Since this a qualitative case study, next is the problem statement, the purpose of the study, research questions, definitions, delimitations and limitations, the significance of the study and the theoretical framework that guides the study. There is a brief section on methodology. An in-depth discussion of the methodology is the subject of chapter 3.

Background of the Study

This study will examine the reasons students in the fifth and sixth grade report for why they do not completed their assigned homework. The study will also explore the connection, if any, between the responses for not completing homework among different groups of students, including English Language Learners, gifted and talented students, and students in general education, and students in Special education programs in mainstream classrooms.

This research study identified the reasons fifth and sixth grade students at a school on the East Coast of the United States do not complete their homework. The researcher administered a questionnaire using a stratified purposive sampling. She also conducted in-depth interviews using an extreme selection sampling with at least one student and one teacher per category. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the reasons students in fifth and sixth grade offer to explain why they do not complete their homework. Also the researcher sought to find if there is a connection between the reasons the students report and those that their teachers believe are true.

The participants responded to a paper and pencil, open-ended questionnaire. The questions were analyzed using the constant comparison methodology as presented in Hatch (2002). From the questionnaire results the researcher selected 8 students and 4 teachers and conducted in depth interviews using an extreme sampling selection Patton (1990). The results of the study will be presented to the faculty who works with these students, and to the participating students and parents. This study has the potential to serve educators and school administrators in eastern United States and surrounding school divisions with similar populations.

This study is focused on the students’ perspective on homework. The results of this research may be of interest to organizations and school districts seeking to improve learning practices regarding how to use homework effectively for all learners. The findings of the study will add depth to the scholastic investigation of the role of homework in education. It will also provide insight into what the students’ perceptions are regarding homework.

Problem Statement

Although there is an abundance of studies related to homework and its benefits from the adults’ perspective, there is a lack of research conducted regarding how students feel about homework, and the reasons students provide for not completing homework. This study sought to find the students’ perspectives on their teachers’ homework practices and the reasons the students give for not completing their homework.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the reasons students in fifth and sixth grade do not complete their homework. The researcher also explored if there was a connection between the responses for not completing their homework among different groups of students, including English language learners, gifted and talented, general education and Special Education students. The researcher sought to find a difference between students’ responses for not completing their homework and the responses of their participating teachers.

Nature of the Study

This qualitative research used a case study based strategy. The researcher administered a 10-item questionnaire using a stratified purposive sample. The researcher coded, analyzed, and interpreted the responses of the questionnaire using constant comparison of the data, searching for connections, and discrepancies if any, grounded in the data (Hatch, 2002). The researcher also conducted in depth interviews using an extreme sampling selection from the respondents to the questionnaire (Patton, 1990).The researcher discussed the results using the critical pedagogy framework that guided this research. Triangulation and respondent validation were used to minimize the threats to validity and quality, which will be described in depth in section 3.

The objective of this research study was two-fold. The major objective was to give a voice to the students regarding homework. A secondary objective was to search for connections and differences in the responses provided by students for not completing their homework, and if the responses differ among different groups of students. The researcher intends to promote discussion and reflection regarding homework practices and policies among teachers and administrators.

Research Questions

1. What are the reasons students in fifth and and sixth grade have for not completing their homework?

2. What are the reasons fifth and sixth grade teachers’ report why their students do not complete their homework?

3. What is the connection between the responses for not completing their homework among different group of students?

Conceptual Framework

The researcher used the lens of critical pedagogy for the study. The role of critical pedagogy is to seek action to improve learning grounded in justice, equity and moral mandates (Wink, 2000, p.38). This perspective serves the researcher’s goal of using the findings to take action in understanding and improving instructional practices (Creswell, 2003). Kellner (2003) proposed a theory of critical education founded on the work of John Dewey and Paolo Freire. Kellner stated that the critical education theory was vital in all reform efforts with a vision of producing, new pedagogies, tools for learning, and social justice for the present age (p. 64). Dewey (1916) defined education as a social process, an education … which secures social changes without introducing disorder (p. 99). The work of leaders in the